| Focus area: Building cultural competency
Cultural competency is an ongoing journey in recognising and understanding different cultures, and using that knowledge to harness different perspectives that are beneficial in the workplace and for our business. |
| Objective | Action | Measure | Timeline | Accountability |
| 4. ABS employees develop appropriate cultural competency skills. | 4.1 Trial and evaluate a range of cultural awareness courses, including at least one short online and one face to face cultural awareness course to determine appropriateness (with the intention of being rolled out to ABS staff at a broader level). | 4.1.1 Staff involved in trials complete the courses and evaluations.
4.1.2 Review of online and face to face cultural awareness courses identifies appropriateness of courses to be recommended as cultural awareness foundation course/s. | By June 2013 | Director Workforce Strategies Section |
4.2 Trial and evaluate the Centre for Cultural Competence Australia (CCCA) online cultural competency course to determine appropriateness as a foundation cultural competency course.
| 4.2.1 Staff from the NT Office, Workforce Strategies, selected business areas and at least three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff complete course and evaluation.
4.2.2 Review of CCCA's online cultural competency course identifies appropriateness of course to be recommended as a cultural competency foundation course. | By March 2013 | Directors Northern Territory Regional Office and Workforce Strategies Section |
| 4.3 Selected NT participants of online cultural competence trial will undertake a trial of locality based competency training (participants will visit local communities to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples). | 4.3.1 Results of locality based training trial to inform recommendations for developing future locality cultural competency training. | By March 2013 | Northern Territory Regional Director |
4.4 From August 2013 Resource Centres are expected to arrange appropriate cultural awareness or competency training for staff.
Staff are expected to undertake cultural awareness training where:
- their work directly relates to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (e.g. Workplace Diversity, National Recruitment Unit, National Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Statistics, State and Territory Statistical Services, PSO Interviewers);
- they manage Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander employees (where known);
- they have Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander team members (where known).
New Starters are expected to undertake training within six months of appointment to role.
Other staff undertake training as available. | 4.4.1 Resource Centres report on number of staff that have completed cultural awareness or competency training and delivery mode (e.g. face-to-face or online). | Report sought June 2014 and then annually | Resource Centre Heads |
| 4.5 From October 2013 SES appointees (new to level or to the ABS) to undertake cultural awareness training as part of the SES induction program. | 4.5.1 Number of SES officers completing cultural awareness training and delivery mode (e.g. face to face or online) is reported. | Report sought June 2014 and then annually | Director National Training and Development Section |
| 4.6 Conduct evaluation of cultural awareness/competency training through an evaluation survey and consultation with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference Group and Resource Centre Heads. | 4.6.1 Recommendations from review of cultural training program are implemented in next iteration of cultural competence training program. | By March 2014 | Director Workforce Strategies Section |
4.7 The Closing the Gap: It's Everyone's Business - A Toolkit is made available to staff through appropriate resources (such as the New Starters toolkit and Services@ABS), by May 2013.
| 4.7.1 Feedback is sought from staff on the usefulness of the toolkit in improving the understanding of Closing the Gap and other key Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander reforms. | Feedback sought from Consultative Forums August 2013 | Director Workforce Strategies Section |
5. ABS culture is one where reconciliation is actively supported by ABS employees.
| 5.1 Appointment of a Reconciliation Senior Champion by March 2013. | 5.1.1 Reconciliation Senior Champion is active in role. | Announce Reconciliation Senior Champion in March 2013 | SES |
| 5.2 From May 2013 SES officers deliver Acknowledgement of Country at appropriate events, as per the ABS Protocols for Appropriate Recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples | 5.2.1 Resource Centres report on known occasions where an SES member has delivered an Acknowledgement of Country. | Reports sought each June | SES |
| 5.3 From May 2013 Welcome to Country is delivered at appropriate events as per the ABS Protocols for Appropriate Recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples | 5.3.1 Resource Centres report on known occasions where a Welcome to Country has been performed.
| Reports sought each June | Resource Centre Heads |
| 5.4 Prior to NAIDOC week, managers informed that office based staff can utilise miscellaneous leave to participate in NAIDOC week activities as per ABS Enterprise Agreement and ABS Interviewers Enterprise Agreement. | 5.4.1 ABS promotional material for NAIDOC week contains reference to use of miscellaneous leave. | Annually (June) | Director Workforce Strategies Section
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